Economic Security & Opportunity

February 22, 2009. The Fiscal Policy Institute joined with the Alliance for Quality Education and other groups to publicize the grim truth about Governor Paterson’s $2.5 billion in school aid cuts. Nearly two thirds of school districts face cuts in excess of $15,000 per classroom, and sixty districts face cuts over $30,000 per classroom. Education committee chairwomen Assemblywoman Nolan and Senator Oppenheimer joined education advocates in calling for school aid restorations; the organizations called for fair share tax reform. Release … (read more)

January 30, 2009. FPI researched and wrote this paper for the Rauch Foundation as a supplemental report to Long Island Index 2009, a study of how Long Island is faring as a region. The index includes reports on specific indicators selected to reflect region-wide impact and interests, and identifies emerging trends and gaps that should be addressed now to avoid future problems. FPI was also cited widely in another section of the Index, Long Island’s Educational Structure. Read … (read more)

January 15, 2009. After more than a decade of financial support falling short of growing enrollment, the executive budget calls for cuts to SUNY and CUNY – at the same time that more students seek post-secondary opportunities during the economic downturn.

Governor Paterson’s proposed 2009-2010 budget features reductions in state aid to CUNY and SUNY, despite a projected increase in enrollment for 2009-2010. This report details the context for the cuts – a decade of underinvestment – and makes the … (read more)

August 25, 2008. This analysis shows that a statewide Transitional Jobs initiative in New York could clearly pay for itself in just three years in primary public cost savings if it is able to increase employment rates by more than 26% for public assistance recipients and by more than 35% for formerly incarcerated participants. The actual public cost savings would likely be even greater once the impact on child support payments and justice system costs is factored in.… (read more)

July 18, 2008. Over 110 economists from throughout New York state say the Lazio tax cut proposals are economically and socially irresponsible, jeopardizing Social Security and Medicare. Full statement, followed by a list of the economists endorsing it.

Several weeks ago, eight Nobel laureates and over 300 other economists issued a public statement opposing the large-scale tax cuts that are the centerpiece of presidential candidate George W. Bush’s economic proposals.

We, the undersigned, as economists who live and/or work in … (read more)

June 11, 2008. Thirty percent of New Yorkers in working families can’t cover basic needs with their wages. This report analyzes the effectiveness of “work support programs” (such as food stamps, Child Health Plus and the Earned Income Tax Credit) in bridging the hardship gap experienced by 5.7 million New Yorkers – that is, the gap between family wages and a basic family budget standard. Work supports make a difference, but more must be done. Press release, full report… (read more)

June 8, 2010. The federal government’s failure to extend its increased share of state Medicaid costs would leave New York with an additional $1.06 billion in state budget cuts – on top of the cuts already on the table as part of Governor Paterson’s 2010-2011 gap closing plan. In this analysis, FPI calculates that if the state decided to fill the additional $1 billion dollar gap through workforce reductions, the number of layoffs would be in the 15,000-16,000 range. … (read more)

May 20, 2008. A presentation by FPI senior economist Trudi Renwick and Gerald Norlander of the Public Utility Law Project of New York, prepared for NYSERDA’s 2008 Low-Income Forum on Energy (LIFE). With prices for power and heating fuel rising faster than wages or assistance – against a backdrop of widespread poverty in upstate cities – the situation is grim for low-income families. Renwick and Norlander lay out specific standards for reform of assistance programs.… (read more)

May 19, 2008. In response to the plant closures and mass layoffs of the 1980s, Congress enacted the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. However, the legislation covers only larger businesses, and lacks an enforcement mechanism. Several states (CA, IL, NJ) have adopted their own WARN legislation. This brief argues that such legislation in New York would benefit not only the upstate economy but also the downstate economy now being buffeted by massive layoffs in the financial sector.… (read more)